Essential Tools For Home Electrical Maintenance

While many electrical repairs in your home will require a trained professional, there are some that can be done yourself with a little knowledge and the proper tools. We advise that you do thorough research before conducting any sort of electrical repair on your home in order to ensure the safety of your house and yourself. If you think that you are capable of doing a few small jobs around your home to help save yourself some time and money, then you are going to need a proper tool kit. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of the most important tools you’ll need for any type of electrical repair around your home.

Voltage Tester

    Perhaps the most important tool you can own for electrical repair is a no contact voltage tester. This tool allows you to do a quick safety test to ensure that there is no voltage running in whatever device or electrical wire you are working on. This tool should be used before any and all electrical maintenance to ensure your safety. Even if you feel confident that your project is not running any electrical current, a quick safety test with this tool could save your life.

Wire Strippers

    A good pair of wire strippers is another essential component in any electrician’s toolbox. This tool is used to cut and strip insulation from electrical wires. A wire stripper has a row of gauged holes for stripping wire of different sizes and many include cutting jaws for trimming the ends of the wire. Many wire strippers even serve as combination tools for crimping and other functions.

Linesman Pliers

    This tool is an electrician’s jack of all trades piece. The squared end makes it great for twisting wires together, while the center cutting blade is used for trimming lengths of wire. There is also a grip area between the handles that is used for pulling wire. While you may be able to get away with not using this tool during your home repairs, if you have an extensive amount of electrical projects you plan on doing, this tool is a vital element of your toolkit. 

Diagonal Cutting Pliers

Diagonal cutting pliers, sometimes called side snips or dikes, are used to cut wires. They are specially designed with a cutting edge that goes down to the tip of the jaws, allowing you to get into tight areas to trim wires. Some types can also have a built-in voltage detector to sense live wires. 

Wire Crimpers

    Wire crimpers are used to crimp lugs or connection terminals onto wires. This tool is not often used for routine circuit repairs, but it has many uses when working with appliances or electronics. Many types can also be used to strip wire insulation

    While we hope that this list helps you to tackle any electrical repairs you plan on doing in your home, it is important to know when a job is too much for you to handle and requires a licensed professional. Be sure to contact your local electrician before conducting any repairs that you are unsure about and don’t be afraid to have them come out and take a look at your project.
MJ Rooney Electrical Contracting offers Residential Electrical Service in Westchester County, New York and Lower Connecticut. Call +1(914) 681 1334 today for a free quotation